IRISH couples married for more than 16 years are more likely to get a divorce than their younger counterparts.According to figures in the Court Service 2006 Annual Report, one-fifth of divorce applications were granted to couples who had been married for between 16-20 years.
Just over a quarter of couples applying for divorce were married for between 11-15 years -- compared with 1pc for couples married five years or under.
The figures show that couples married in the 1970s had the highest divorce rate -- with 14 divorces granted.
According to the figures there was a slight decrease in the number of new divorce applications in 2006.
A total of 4,097 divorce applications were granted in 2005, compared to 3,986 last year.
The numbers of judicial separations also increased dramatically. A total of 1,072 judicial separations were granted in 2006 compared to 950 in 2005.
According to Divorce Law expert and law lecturer at University College Cork, Louise Crowely, the high percentage of older divorcees is down to the system itself.
"Ireland is quite different to other jurisdictions in that it has an older percentage of divorcees. In countries like the US and England couples are more likely to divorce after five or six years," she said.
"I think a lot of it is down to the process itself. A couple may find that they are unhappy after three years... but the State dictates they have to live separately for four or five years before they can apply for a divorce."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce